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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#281976: Jun 1st 2019 at 12:26:59 PM

Yeah, Jenner still has done more harm than good. She’s damaged the image of the trans community quite a lot.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#281977: Jun 1st 2019 at 12:29:24 PM

Has she? I get not wanting her as a big representative, but how many people actually know/care about her politics and will take them as a reflection of trans people in general?

Most of what I saw seemed to focus on her being "brave and beautiful". Her faults as a person aside, I can't help but think her exposure in general would be a net positive.

Edited by LSBK on Jun 1st 2019 at 2:48:55 PM

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#281978: Jun 1st 2019 at 12:32:06 PM

Eh, anyone who judges the trans community over the actions of any individual frankly was looking for an excuse.

But yeah, she's a shitty person and I'd have to see significant evidence to change my appraisal.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Pseudopartition Screaming Into The Void from The Cretaeceous Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Screaming Into The Void
#281979: Jun 1st 2019 at 12:35:27 PM

[up][up] I think it gives the impression she was willing to sell out other trans people for her own comfort. But yeah, judging the entire community for that is awful.

Edited by Pseudopartition on Jun 1st 2019 at 2:39:11 PM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#281980: Jun 1st 2019 at 12:36:10 PM

Jenner's articles, at least, came off as sincere. At least in the context of acknowledging they came at it from a position of privilege.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/caitlyn-jenner-i-thought-trump-would-help-the-lgbtq-community-i-was-wrong/2018/10/25/3c4cd61e-d86a-11e8-83a2-d1c3da28d6b6_story.html?utm_term=.26dce16087d3

http://time.com/5435625/caitlyn-jenner-donald-trump-mistake/

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Jun 1st 2019 at 12:37:42 PM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#281981: Jun 1st 2019 at 12:40:34 PM

[up][up]That's a reason (among many) to dislike Jenner though, like Spartan said, if someone's willing to look at her being a Republican and thinks that paints all trans people the same the person was already pretty bad.

And as I said, most focus on her did seem to be generally positive and accepting of her being trans, which I still imagine is a net good.

Edited by LSBK on Jun 1st 2019 at 2:48:42 PM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#281982: Jun 1st 2019 at 7:03:40 PM

There were plenty of opportunities to get those people out alive and some of those came about because of Trump being crazy and evil enough to make friends with Kim Jong-Un. Trump's just so fucking stupid that he somehow botched every possible opportunity to save lives, even directly sabotaging a couple of those opportunities personally. It is 100% his fault those people are dead.
Just to be clear, by "those people" you mean the ones that have been held prisoner by North Korea and not the five people who have been executed, right? Because the latter are North Korean officials.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#281983: Jun 1st 2019 at 7:07:18 PM

I do wonder what the reasoning is there.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#281984: Jun 2nd 2019 at 1:07:52 AM

From the desk of the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General:

DHS Needs to Address Dangerous Overcrowding Among Single Adults at El Paso Del Norte Processing Center

So yeah. Packing almost a thousand people into a facility that has an absolute maximum capacity of... 125.

Border Patrol agents told us some of the detainees had been held in standing-room-only conditions for days or weeks.

...Just... what the actual fuck.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#281985: Jun 2nd 2019 at 2:30:41 AM

[up][up][up]Oh. I was under the impression that we were talking about the prisoners, and the North Korean officials being executed was a separate topic. So, are the prisoners dead or not?

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#281986: Jun 2nd 2019 at 7:27:49 AM

Virtually the entirety of the Frezno Grizzlies advertising sponsorship dropped them due to an attack ad on Representative Ocasio-Cortez.

On Memorial Day.

Comparing her to Kim Jong Un.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/heineken-fresno-grizzlies-over-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-video_n_5cf1311de4b0e346ce7ce779

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
DrDougsh Since: Jan, 2001
#281987: Jun 2nd 2019 at 7:38:58 AM

Well, obviously Ocasio-Cortez isn't very similar to Kim Jong-un, because if she were Donald Trump would be in love with her.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#281988: Jun 2nd 2019 at 7:40:49 AM

Really reeks of their desperation and stupidity when they make comparisons to him of all people

In other news,late to the game Pentagon says stap politicizing the military even though they've been doing this for AGE,like remember how he sent troops to the boarder?

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
DeathorCake Since: Mar, 2016
#281989: Jun 2nd 2019 at 7:58:29 AM

[up]

The US Department of Defence was of course noted for a complete lack of political motivation or political activity before Donald Trump became president.

I rather like this trend towards former "impartial institutions" being seen to be obviously political, it might be easier to argue for reforming them later on. Supreme Courts, Central Banks, the various international economic bodies etcetera. Not a fan of their ongoing right-wing capture obviously, but it's not like a lot of these institutions didn't have right to hard-right agendas already.

Edited by DeathorCake on Jun 2nd 2019 at 3:06:46 PM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#281991: Jun 2nd 2019 at 8:03:49 AM

In other news,late to the game Pentagon says stap politicizing the military even though they've been doing this for AGE,like remember how he sent troops to the boarder?

Uh, they're telling the White House to stop doing it.

I.e the same people who sent them to the border.

That... doesn't make their complaints less legitimate. Quite the opposite.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#281992: Jun 2nd 2019 at 8:07:31 AM

Yes, they're absolutely correct here.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#281993: Jun 2nd 2019 at 8:13:05 AM

I was refering to the White house politicizing the military for ages,just seems they're fairly late in rebuking them

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#281994: Jun 2nd 2019 at 8:20:46 AM

I was refering to the White house politicizing the military for ages,just seems they're fairly late in rebuking them

I doubt the Pentagon is in a hurry to start a slap fight with an administration, civilian control is rather important after all.

I think it makes sense it would take some time for them to admit concerns publicly.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#281995: Jun 2nd 2019 at 8:23:33 AM

The Pentagon's resistance to White House shenanigans has largely been to ignore them and hope Trump forgets about his dubiously valid orders in a week or two. Or in the case of sending troops to the border only follow the letter to the barest minimum and do everything within their power to ignore the spirit of the request.

Which might not sound like much but it's been pretty effective so far. For a historically very apolitical organization to come out and publicly say this is no small thing.

Oh really when?
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#281996: Jun 2nd 2019 at 11:32:30 AM

White House lawyer Emmet Flood to leave post, Trump announces – Flood’s departure will undoubtedly disappoint some who wanted him to stay and help Trump fight a slew of congressional investigations

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/01/trump-lawyer-emmet-flood-leaving-1349481

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#281997: Jun 2nd 2019 at 4:55:39 PM

@fourthspartan: Gotta agree. It's not the Pentagon's job to make Trump's policy make sense, it's their job to carry out the lawful parts of his orders. They're getting involved because calling Trump out in public can't make things any worse right now (knock on wood) and his random actions are making it impossible for them to do their job or even to figure out what it is.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#281998: Jun 3rd 2019 at 6:53:54 AM

What slew of Congressional investigations? Trump's current tactic for obstructing with Congress is to have his people openly break the law and then say, "Arrest me, bruh," while staring Congress down.

That's worked out pretty well for him so far. He's probably confident that he doesn't need Flood.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
TheWanderer Student of Story from Somewhere in New England (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Student of Story
#281999: Jun 3rd 2019 at 7:19:33 AM

Barr went full MAGAt during an interview

    Barr tries to out Republican all other Republicans 
After the legal Establishment had granted him the benefit of the doubt, Attorney General William Barr has shocked his erstwhile supporters with his aggressive and frequently dishonest interventions on behalf of President Trump. The spectacle of an esteemed lawyer abetting his would-be strongman boss’s every authoritarian instinct has left Barr’s critics grasping for explanations. Some have seized on the darker threads of his history in the Reagan and Bush administrations, when he misled the public about a secret Department of Justice memo and helped cover up the Iran-Contra scandal.

But Barr’s long, detailed interview with Jan Crawford suggests the rot goes much deeper than a simple mania for untrammeled Executive power. Barr has drunk deep from the Fox News worldview of Trumpian paranoia.

It is hard to convey how far over the edge Barr has gone without reading the entire interview, which lasted an hour. But a few key comments illustrate the depth of his investment in Trump’s perspective.

Barr, as he has done repeatedly, provides a deeply misleading account of what Robert Mueller found. “He did not reach a conclusion,” he says. “He provided both sides of the issue, and … his conclusion was he wasn’t exonerating the president, but he wasn’t finding a crime either.”

As Mueller stated in the report and again at his press conference, he felt bound by a policy preventing him from charging the president with a crime, or even saying the president had committed a crime. Mueller’s view is that his job vis-à-vis presidential misconduct is to describe the behavior and leave it up to Congress to decide if it’s a crime. Several hundred former federal prosecutors have stated, and Mueller clearly signaled, the actions he described in the Mueller report are crimes, or would be if the president could be charged with a crime.

Later in the interview, Barr grossly contradicts Mueller’s findings with regard to Trump’s ties to Russia. “Mueller has spent two and half years, and the fact is, there is no evidence of a conspiracy,” he says. “So it was bogus, this whole idea that the Trump was in cahoots with the Russians is bogus.”

This is just a wild lie. Mueller was unable to establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia. He was unable to establish this, in part, because “some individuals invoked their Fifth Amendment right,” or “provided information that was false or incomplete,” or “deleted relevant communications.” Indeed, the two Trump campaign officials most closely linked to Russian cutouts, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone, refused to cooperate with prosecutors. A failure to establish a criminal conspiracy is not the same thing as finding “no evidence of a conspiracy.” Nowhere does the Mueller report say there’s no evidence of a conspiracy. Some of the potential conspiracy elements were unprovable — Mueller never figured out why Manafort gave 75 pages of polling data to a Russian agent.

Barr, amazingly, goes even farther to say the report proved “this whole idea that the Trump was in cahoots with the Russians is bogus.” In fact, the Mueller report notes that it did not even try to establish whether the campaign was “in cahoots” with Russia. The report states that it “applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of ‘collusion.’”

The report in fact finds extensive evidence that Trump was in cahoots with Russia. His top campaign officials took a meeting with a Russian agent promising them help from the Russian government. Trump asked Russia on camera to hack his opponent’s emails, and they carried out a hacking attempt that day. Trump was pursuing a lucrative, no-risk business deal requiring Russian government approval during the campaign and lying about it, making him vulnerable to blackmail by Russia. Sharing an explosive secret that could destroy your campaign in order to potentially collect a massive payoff from a party that you know is doing illegal things to help you is the definition of being in cahoots.

Barr goes on to repeat Trump’s obsession with texts capturing the political chatter of Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, two romantically-involved FBI agents. “It’s hard to read some of the texts with and not feel that there was gross bias at work, and they’re appalling,” he tells Crawford.

There is, in fact, nothing unusual about FBI agents expressing political opinions. An investigation by the FBI’s Inspector General “did not find evidence to connect the political views expressed in these messages to the specific investigative decisions that we reviewed.” And no serious person doubts the overall weight of political opinion at the FBI leans rightward. The bureau has never had a Democratic director, and James Comey testified that, during the campaign, agents appeared to be leaking heavily to Rudy Giuliani. (Comey violated policy by scolding Clinton, and then publicly reopening the investigation, in part due to the pressure of the leaks from the FBI’s pro-Trump cabal.) Barr’s depiction of the FBI as a bastion of anti-Trump sentiment is grossly at odds with the evidence.

Even more astonishingly, Barr proceeds from that false premise to liken the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation of Trump to right-wing birther conspiracies:

I think if the shoe was on the other foot we could be hearing a lot about it. If those kinds of discussions were held, you know, when Obama first ran for office, people talking about Obama in those tones and suggesting that “Oh that he might be a Manchurian candidate for Islam or something like that.” You know some wild accusations like that and you had that kind of discussion back and forth, you don’t think we would be hearing a lot more about it?

By likening the Russia scandal to birther conspiracies, Barr is tracking the arguments made by the most fanatical members of the pro-Trump commentariat, who treat it as a complete hoax. In fact, the Trump campaign had dozens and dozens of contacts with Russians, cultivating and relying on their hidden and sometimes illegal support. For Barr to liken these connections to a completely fabricated theory about Obama as a secret Muslim agent boggles the mind.

Barr portrays the Russia investigation as an effort to overturn Trump’s election:

I mean, republics have fallen because of Praetorian Guard mentality where government officials get very arrogant, they identify the national interest with their own political preferences and they feel that anyone who has a different opinion, you know, is somehow an enemy of the state. And you know, there is that tendency that they know better and that, you know, they’re there to protect as guardians of the people. That can easily translate into essentially supervening the will of the majority and getting your own way as a government official.

This is Trump’s own favorite conspiracy theory, dressed up in more elevated language than Trump himself can muster — “Praetorian Guard mentality” — but making the same ugly charge that the FBI plotted an illegal coup to stop Trump’s election.

Barr hints repeatedly throughout the interview that he has seen secret evidence he cannot share that supports his sinister conclusion. “I have not gotten answers that are well satisfactory, and in fact probably have more questions, and that some of the facts that I’ve learned don’t hang together with the official explanations of what happened,” he says. “That’s all I really will say. Things are just not jiving.”

It is impossible to disprove Barr’s claim to have uncovered a secret cabal to defeat Trump. But one might wonder why this cabal chose to infiltrate Trump’s campaign in an effort to smear him as a Russian stooge, and then fail to use the dirt before the election. Indeed, even as reporters were probing Trump’s growing swath of shady Russia ties, the FBI was aggressively spinning the opposite story to the media. The New York Times reported this spin in a now-infamous story asserting “No clear link to Russia,” and “even the hacking into Democratic emails, F.B.I. and intelligence officials now believe, was aimed at disrupting the presidential election rather than electing Mr. Trump.”

The most frighteningly clarifying comment comes at the end, when Barr lays out his belief that President Trump poses no threat whatsoever to democratic norms. The threat is the “resistance”:

I think one of the ironies today is that people are saying that it’s President Trump that’s shredding our institutions. I really see no evidence of that, it is hard, and I really haven’t seen … particulars as to how that’s being done. From my perspective the idea of resisting a democratically elected president and basically throwing everything at him and, you know, really changing the norms on the grounds that we have to stop this president, that is where the shredding of our norms and our institutions is occurring.

Surprise, surprise, turns out the pathetic attempt to pitch Barr as a middle of the road Establishment figure was yet another desperate gasp for a Republican hero to hold up so our media and public wouldn't have to give up the ridiculous "both sides" belief. Who could have ever guessed? note 

Edited by TheWanderer on Jun 3rd 2019 at 10:20:33 AM

| Wandering, but not lost. | If people bring so much courage to this world...◊ |
SteamKnight Since: Jun, 2018
#282000: Jun 3rd 2019 at 7:31:48 AM

He just go full Alex Jones complete with he has secret evidence that supports his allegation but he just can't share it. Despite that, he still said that he hadn't gotten answers that satisfy him. He just go all over the place.

Those TV series about members of the US government f*cking-up just keep losing to reality.

I'm not as witty as I think I am. It's a scientifically-proven fact.

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